This festival really was a cracker

I AGREE with David and Ann Walker's letter (Festival a fantastic advert for village, Letters, June 30), about how successful the Ickenham Festival was.

I went to the open-air service run by St Giles Church and Ickenham URC Church, held in the grounds of Swakeleys House, Ickenham.

It's a lovely idea for churches to get out of their buildings and into the open-air in good weather.

We visited two of the open gardens in Ickenham, where homeowners raise money for charity by opening their back garden for people to see and by serving cream teas.

I'm told that Ickenham's Stardust big band, who played in the grounds of Swakeleys House on June 19, was excellent.

Perhaps other local areas, such as Ruislip and Eastcote, could arrange such a week every couple of years?

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